Tallinn, the capital of the Republic of Estonia, serves as a city municipality and a vital seaport for both passengers and cargo.
It functions as the political, scientific, economic, and cultural hub of Estonia, housing all central government institutions and being the focal point for numerous higher and secondary vocational educational institutions across the country.
As of the 2021 Estonian Census, Tallinn is home to 437,817 residents, representing 32.9% of Estonia’s total population.
Linguist Peeter Päll suggests that the Estonian name Tallinn(a) has its origins in the term “taani linn,” meaning “Danish city.”
This reference to a “Danish castle” alludes to a fortress constructed by Danish invaders on the site of an Estonian stronghold after the Battle of Lindanis in 1219. Alternatively, it’s believed that the name of Estonia’s capital could derive from “tali linn” (signifying “winter city”) or “talu linn” (meaning “house, manor-castle”) in Estonian.
The common root element, “-linn,” shares a similar meaning with the Russian “-city/grad” or the German “-burg,” conveying the idea of a “fortress.”